Beloved,

On a train after the People vs. Fossil Fuels action today in D.C. and just one day after indigenous People’s Day, I (Rev. Robin) reflected on our October theme of cultivating relationship. We heard in the training for the action the night before that we were to follow Indigenous leadership in the action. Words like solidarity, impact and role were raised. We began Tuesday with prayer, song, and marching. I watched blessings rise as sage burned. Then, we were arrested and even as the police sought to allow us clergy to leave without citation, I listened as colleagues asked, “were our indigenous siblings be given this option yesterday?”

Unitarian Universalism is a deeply relational faith. We are a moving faith.

While I marched I had the sense that this community, our discernment, clarity of power and role, were all the elements of some of the very best of religious community. I looked around and felt so much profound love, as a spiritual devotion. Our time together was not without struggle, disagreement, and ouches that needed healing. But there we were in a very long holding space, waiting for hours to pay a fine and rethreading our way to each other across racial, religious, cultural and historical canyons.

Most days cultivating relationship is rather mundane. Who holds a door, makes the coffee or says “welcome, I’m glad you are here.” And sometimes you get the sense in every little mundane act all along, there was a yearning and a reaching that was carrying us to the edge that one day we might be carried across by all the days, leaders and dreams before us.

Yesterday, after months of the weariness of the world, I felt hope again. Not all is lost. Special thanks to Kathleen Grant for urging Rev. Emilie and I to participate in these actions.

With love and abiding faith,

Dr. Tuli and Reverends Emilie and Robin